SERIES RECORD: Miami leads 50-45 (including playoffs) AT MIAMI: Dolphins lead 33-14AT NEW ENGLAND: Patriots lead 30-17AT TAMPA: Patriots lead 1-0LAST MEETING: 2012 at New England; Patriots 28, Dolphins 0HISTORY LESSON: The Dolphins have a 5-7 record in New England in October games, and perhaps their most memorable victory among those came on Oct. 17, 1999. The game started off as poorly as the Dolphins could ever have imagined as the Patriots returned two interceptions for touchdowns for a quick 14-0 lead and Dan Marino left the game with an injury after the first of those two picks. But behind an impressive relief performance by quarterback Damon Huard and a team-record six field goals by Olindo Mare, the Dolphins rallied for a 31-30 victory, winning on Huard’s 5-yard touchdown pass to fullback Stanley Pritchett with 23 seconds left. SERIES TREND: The Patriots have dominated division battles in recent years, and that unfortunately includes their games against the Dolphins. New England has won the past six meetings since the Dolphins’ thrilling 22-21 victory in December of 2009. The Dolphins’ last victory at Gillette Stadium came on Sept. 21, 2008, the day the Wildcat formation was unveiled. With Ronnie Brown scoring a team-record four rushing touchdowns and throwing for a fifth, the Dolphins routed the Patriots that day, 38-13.

SCOUTING REPORT

PATRIOTS’ RECORD: 5-2LAST GAME: Lost at N.Y. Jets, 30-27 (OT) OVERVIEW: The Patriots have had their share of issues this season after the departure of Wes Welker, the arrest and subsequent release of Aaron Hernandez, the prolonged absence of Rob Gronkowski at the start, dropped passes by a largely inexperienced group of receivers, and Tom Brady putting up some of the worst numbers of his career. And yet New England still has managed to forge a 5-2 record and finds itself atop the AFC East again. The Patriots again have shown a knack for coming through in the clutch, notably in the season opener against the Buffalo Bills and then in their improbable come-from-behind victory over the previously unbeaten New Orleans Saints. KEY NEW FACES: WR Aaron Dobson (draft-2nd round), LB Jamie Collins (draft-2nd), CB Logan Ryan (draft-3rd), RB LeGarrette Blount (Tampa Bay), WR Danny Amendola (St. Louis), DL Tommy Kelly (Oakland) KEY VETERANS GONE: WR Wes Welker, TE Aaron Hernandez, DT Vince Wilfork (IR), LB Jerod Mayo (IR), RB Shane Vereen (IR-designated to return), RB Danny Woodhead, G Donald Thomas, WR Brandon Lloyd, P Zoltan Mesko, OLB Jermaine Cunningham